In Pokémon’s 25-year history there have been close to a thousand Pokémon introduced, with some taking more inspiration from older Pokémon designs than others. Pikachu is the most recognizable Pokémon in the franchise, and Game Freak/The Pokémon Company have attempted to capture its popularity with an unofficial sub-category of Pokémon.
These “Pikaclones” share various characteristics to the franchise’s mascot. Pikaclones share Pikachu’s Electric typing as well as take inspiration from rodents in their design. They usually have electric sacs on their cheeks that store electricity like the yellow mouse, but aside from the Pikachu family these Pokémon don't evolve.
There are eight Pokémon across the eight generations of the games that fit into this unofficial category. These Pikaclones have become a staple of every generation of Pokémon and will likely continue until the franchise comes to an end.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Pichu
The Generation 2 games, Gold and Silver, introduce the first Pikaclone to the series with Pichu. Unlike the other Pokémon that are on this list, Pichu is directly tied to Pikachu and its evolution Raichu. Pichu is the pre-evolution of Pikachu and can only be obtained by hatching one from an egg.
Pichu, one of the first baby Pokémon created, is a smaller and weaker version of Pikachu. However, many fans would likely argue that it’s cuter than the popular yellow mouse. While that’s up for debate, Pichu has gained its own following of fans from its appearances in the anime and its inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. titles.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Plusle and Minun
Ruby and Sapphire introduced double battles to the Pokémon franchise, and so these Pikaclones were created to take advantage of this gimmick. Plusle and Minun are yellow rodents who represent the positive and negative polarities of a magnet, and they utilize moves like Helping Hand to give their partner in battle a boost to their stats.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Pachirisu
As the franchise moved to Generation 4, the Pokémon team began designing Pikaclones that were less mouse/rat-like and took inspiration from other rodents. In the case of Pachirisu’s design, the Electric Pokémon was based on a squirrel.
Pachirisu is also notable to the Pokémon franchise because it became the first Pikaclone to be caught and used by a main character in the Pokemon anime series. Dawn from the Diamond and Pearl anime used her Pachirisu quite often in battle and in Pokémon contests. From Gen 4 onward, a main character in the Pokémon series will use its generation’s Pikaclone.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Emolga
Generation 5’s Pikaclone, Emolga, is special. Emolga was the first Pikaclone to have a second typing, a trend that continues to this day. Emolga is Electric and Flying-type making it the first Pokémon since the Legendary Zapdos and Rotom Air to have such a typing. It’s also notable that Emolga would have a big role in the Black and White anime as a part of Iris’ Pokémon team.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Dedenne
Pokémon X and Y introduced the new Fairy typing in 2016 and to coincide with its release, Game Freak created Dedenne the first and currently only Pikaclone to have this new typing. Dedenne is also the first Electric and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Togedamaru
In the Sun and Moon games, Togedamaru was the Pikaclone representative of the Alola region. While it didn’t have a special type combination, its Electric and Steel typing is shared with the Magnemite line, Togedamaru was special for having its own signature move Zing Zap.
Zing Zap is a powerful physical Electric-type attack that can cause flinching. While subsequent games have given the move to other Pokémon, Togedamaru was the original to learn it.
Pikachu Clone Pokémon: Morpeko
The most recent Pikaclone addition is Morpeko of the Galar region in the Pokémon Sword and Shield games. What distinguishes Morpeko, which is based on a hamster, from the rest of the Pikaclones, is its typing and ability. Morpeko is the first Pokémon ever to be Electric and Dark-type and its ability, Hunger Switch, is unique to it. Hunger Switch swaps Morpeko into its Full Belly and Hangry mode each turn. Depending on which mode Morpeko is in, its exclusive attack Aura Wheel can become Electric (Full Belly) or Dark-type (Hangry).